Dead Man's Chest I Jack Sparrow

Chapter Fourteen

      Jacqueline bolted upwards, and Jack scrambled off of the floor with her. They both looked to Norrington, who threw the shovel in the sand and dropped to his knees. Jack and Everleigh joined him, and Elizabeth did as well, peering over Jacqueline. Jack brushed away sand, revealing a large black chest with a lock stashing away the contents. She grabbed the shovel and snapped the lock, and Jack swung the chest open. The first thing she saw were letters, which Sparrow dumped onto the ground. She picked one up and read it, her heart softening at the words.

      "Love letters." She mumbled to herself. She threw the paper to the side as another, smaller chest was discovered. She could have sworn she heard a deep noise, and apparently the other three did as well, because they leaned forwards. Jacqueline held back a gasp as she heard the thumping of a heart.

      "It's real. You actually were telling the truth." Elizabeth directed her speech towards Jack, in which he replied,

      "I do that quite a lot, yet people are always surprised." She opened her mouth to make a comment, but couldn't when another voice spoke up.

      "With good reason!" A smile caked her face as she jumped up from the ground and spun to see William standing in front of them. 

      "Will!" Elizabeth ran towards him and the two embraced. "You're alright! Thank God!"

      "You're alive." Jacqueline breathed out a sigh of relief. 

      "How did you get here?" Jack asked.

      "Sea turtles, mate." She snorted. "A pair of them, strapped to my feet." 

      "Not so easy, is it?" She rolled her eyes.

      "But I do owe you thanks, Jack." Her brows pinched together.

      "You do?" Jack sounded as confused as she felt. 

      "After you tricked me onto that ship to square your debt with Jones," Her lips pulled downwards at the exposure of Jack's secret. She hoped that Elizabeth managed to not murder Jack at that moment.

      "What?" Elizabeth interrupted, gaping at Jack.

      "What?" Jacqueline whacked Jack in the back of the head, and he flinched.

      "I was reunited with my father."

      "Oh, well, you're welcome." When Will's eyes shifted to her and she made to speak, to apologize, but Will spoke first.

      "I know. You had nothing to do with it." Still, she gave him an apologetic look, which he brushed off with a smile.

      "Every word you said to me was a lie!" Elizabeth raised her voice, and Jack simply grinned.

      "Pretty much. Time and tide." Jacqueline smirked at that, seeing the enraged expression on Elizabeth's face. 

      "Oi! What are you doing?" She traveled to where Jack stared to find Will, jamming a key into the chest. Jacqueline sensed the intensity rising as Will responded with such confidence,

      "I'm going to kill Jones." 

      "No." She breathed out, which didn't go unrecognized by Will, as he threw her a questioning glance. But she didn't obtain a chance to respond as Jack drew his sword and pointed it at Will.

      "Can't let you do that, mate. 'Cause if Jones is dead, who's to call his terrible beastie off the hunt, eh? Now if you please. The key." Will rose from the ground, unsheathing his own sword. 

      "Boys..." She tried to warn, yet nobody paid her heed.

      "I keep the promises I make, Jack. I intend to free my father. I hope you're here to see it." She tossed around the idea of intervening. She didn't think Will and Jack would kill each other.

      "So sorry. I can't let you do that either." Norrington had his own sword aimed at Will. Jacqueline placed her hand on the hilt of her weapon.

      "I knew you'd warm up to me." Sparrow chirped.

      "Lord Beckett," she gagged at the name, "desires the content of that chest. I deliver it, I get my life back." Jack clicked his tongue.

      "Ah, the dark side of ambition."

      "Oh, I prefer to see it as the promise of redemption." The three men spent a moment in silence, locked in triangular formation, Will's sword to Jack, Jack's to Norrington, and Norrington's to Will. 

      "Argh!" Norrington made the first move, and the three engaged in combat. Elizabeth loudly gasped, and Jacqueline pulled out her own sword, eyeing the battle. They swung at each other, and James began to run away. Will and Jack followed him, and began to fight again. She saw Jack grab the key, and she sighed in relief. Elizabeth tried to yell at them to stop, in which Jacqueline spun on her heel.

      "Elizabeth, darling. They are men, all stubborn as hell. They will not stop fighting, but I will make sure they don't kill each other. Well, the ex-Commodore may be an exception. Aye?" Elizabeth gaped at her, but didn't respond because Jacqueline turned and chased after the boys. She saw Will on the ground and exclaimed,

      "Sorry Will!" She brushed past him, her eyes locking on Norrington and Jack. Soon enough, Will caught up to her and panted,

      "Whose side are you on?" She rolled her eyes.

      "I'm making sure you and Jack don't die." 

      "What about Norrington?" Jacqueline harrumphed.

      "Indeed, what about him?" Will let out a chuckle, and Jacqueline stopped short of the men as Will charged forth. At one point, Norrington swung at her, and she immediately snapped into action. She poked at him, but he got the advantage and stomped on her foot. She reeled backwards, but regained herself quickly, slashing at his arm. It nicked his skin, and he seethed. She spared a glance at Will and Jack, who had stayed close by, still lunging at one another. The look cost her, and Norrington shoved her. She stumbled, and he managed to knock the sword out of her hands. Before she could even reach for her daggers, he had his sword at her neck.

      "Honestly, I expected more from the great Captain Everleigh." She growled, and out of nowhere, two blades peeked out above her shoulders.

      "Step away from her." Jack demanded in a low voice. Norrington stood his ground.

      "Move, Norrington!" Will barked, and James chortled before stepping away from Jacqueline. She dropped to the sand and snatched up her sword, and when she got up, the three had already started fighting again. She cracked a smile, thinking about how both Jack and Will ceased their troubles to help her. Jack was knocked to the ground along with James, and Will managed to grab the key. The two recovered quickly and dashed after Turner. She watched as Jack hit Will and re-caught the key, and then bolted towards the woods. Norrington brought William to the sand and kicked some in his face.

      "By your leave, Mr. Turner." She skirted around Will, who called to her,

      "Jacqueline!" She tilted her head over her shoulder and yelled,

      "Sorry, William. I have to help Jack!"

      "So you are on his side!" She ignored him and followed the sorry excuse of a man who got closer to Jack as they entered a forest-like area.